IBM announced on Monday the launch of a new line of ThinkPad notebooks designed to provide an extra layer of data protection through advanced fingerprint technology.
The biometric capability will be present on select models of the ThinkPad T42 that will be shipped from Oct. 19, the company said. Last month, the computer maker launched PCs fitted with a special chip designed to prevent hackers from stealing passwords and other sensitive identity information.
The fingerprint reader, placed on the wrist-rest, below the arrow keys, will verify the identity of a user when he or she swipes a finger across a tiny sensor. Once identity is established, users are automatically logged on. The fingerprint reader works in tandem with an embedded security chip and software called Password Manager to protect vital security data, such as encryption keys, electronic credentials and passwords.